Extra cheesy Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pull Apart Bread with tangy, spicy pickled jalapeño ranch. This pull apart bread is simply the best…and so addicting. Crusty ciabatta bread, stuffed with creamy homemade buffalo ranch chicken dip, topped with additional cheese. Oven baked until golden and crisp on the outside, but extra soft and melty in the center. Every last bite is SO. GOOD. Perfect for game day…and any other occasion in between.

overhead photo of Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pull Apart Bread

I hinted to you yesterday that I would have more game day recipes to share today and I wasn’t messing around. This pull apart bread has Super Bowl written all over it. It’s the easiest to throw together and always the crowd favorite…and it feeds a crowd too. There’s nothing not to love about extra cheesy buffalo chicken bread.

This recipe is a good one, and of course, a family favorite…seeing as buffalo chicken has always been one of my family’s most requested meals.

overhead photo of jalapeno ranch

The inspiration…

When I was thirteen or fourteen, my best friend introduced me to buffalo chicken pizza. At the time I really didn’t know what buffalo chicken was, nor did I care. The only thing I cared about was the fact that I LOVED every last bite of that pizza we had delivered to her house. Just like any good buffalo chicken pizza, it had ranch, buffalo sauce, chicken, cheddar, and a good amount of blue cheese. I remember thinking ranch on a pizza sounded so bizarre, but I must have gotten over it. For the record, I still believe ranch on pizza is weird. BUT it works so I’m all about it.

To this day, I can still remember the smell and taste. It was extra cheesy, spicy (but mellow spicy), a little greasy, and topped with just the right amount of blue cheese. Complete “teenager” food. I’m really not sure what inspired us to order this pizza, but once we did, we didn’t stop. I begged my parents to order from “the place that makes buffalo chicken pizza” every time they’d reach for the phone to order carry out. It was that good.

Of course, my memory could be making this out to be better than it actually was. The point is that I was young when I had my first experience with a cheesy buffalo chicken pizza, and to this day it’s still a favorite food.

Having said all that, it’s pretty hard to believe that I don’t have a buffalo chicken pizza recipe on HBH. I should probably change that. In the meantime, I do now have this Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pull Apart Bread…inspired by that buffalo chicken pizza.

And it is the most perfect game day appetizer.

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pull Apart Bread before baking

The details.

This is EASY. You ready?

Find yourself a good loaf of crusty ciabatta bread. You can certainly use another variety of bread (sourdough would be good), but I love the airiness of the ciabatta. All the nooks and crannies in the bread soak up any extra buffalo sauce…so delicious.

Next, score the bread, cutting the bread into one-inch cubes that can easily be torn out once baked. Then rub the bread with a little herby garlic oil to keep it from drying out in the oven.

Now, mix up the “dip”. It’s a pretty simple mix of cream cheese, homemade ranch, buffalo sauce, and cheddar. I also like to use blue cheese, but if you despise blue cheese, simply leave it out. Stuff the dip into each nook and cranny of the bread, then add extra cheese and extra sauce.

Bake until the bread is golden and the cheese has melted.

Simple, right? It’s very much like my cranberry brie pull apart bread, but instead of sweet and cheesy, this bread is spicy and cheesy. Both so different, but both so delicious.

overhead photo super close up of Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pull Apart Bread

That pickled jalapeño ranch?

Yes, you need that too! I know that making homemade ranch is just another step, but it’s so worth it. And it’s easier than running to the market to pick up a bottle.

I keep mine pretty simple and straight forward. I even used sour cream this time around…something I have not done in the past. But I’m kind of on a sour cream kick right now after using it in the creamy mustard sauce for yesterday’s cajun popcorn chicken.

So what makes this ranch special? The pickled jalapeños. If you have a copy of HBH Super Simple, you might recall the pickled jalapeño pineapple salsa. Instead of fresh jalapeños, I use pickled, and it’s a game-changer. Using pickled jalapeños adds a subtle, tangy kick that I find especially delicious.

Using pickled jalapeños is also much mellower than if you were to use fresh jalapeños. Making this is a great ranch option for people who enjoy a little heat, but can’t do too spicy. It’s somewhere in the middle.

I’ll be making this on Sunday for the Super Bowl. But I’m also excited to have this recipe on hand for other parties throughout the year. What’s great about this recipe is that you can prep the bread ahead of time. Then simply bake it off before guests arrive. It’s very hands-off, very easy, and always loved by everyone.

So much so that if you’re feeding a large crowd, I’d recommend doubling the recipe. Promise, this cheesy pull apart bread does not last long!

overhead close up photo of Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pull Apart Bread

Looking for other buffalo recipes? Try my fried buffalo goat cheese balls or my crispy buffalo chicken salad.

If you make this buffalo ranch chicken pull apart bread, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

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4.42 from 65 votes

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

The Recipe

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pull Apart Bread.

Key Ingredient: chicken

Easy to throw together and always a crowd favorite. Perfect for game day and any other occasion in between.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 410 kcal

Ingredients

Pickled Jalapeño Ranch

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Slice the bread horizontally and vertically to create 1 inch cubes, being careful not to actually slice all the way through the bread (see above photo). Transfer to a baking sheet.

    2. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, parsley, and chives. Rub the inside of the bread with the olive oil mix.

    3. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, ranch dressing, and buffalo sauce until combined. Stir in the chicken, half the cheddar cheese, the blue cheese, and a large pinch of black pepper. Stuff the filling inside the bread, filling in all the spaces in between the cuts, it's ok to pull back a bit on the pieces of bread. Drizzle over a few spoonfuls of additional buffalo sauce, then stuff with the remaining cheddar.

    4. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the filling is warmed throughout. Serve topped with fresh parsley, additional buffalo sauce, and ranch, if desired. Enjoy...immediately!

    5. To make the ranch. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake or stir until creamy. 

Recipe Notes

To Make Ahead: prepare the bread through step 3. Cover, and keep in the fridge for up to 1 day. When ready to bake, remove from the fridge and let come to room temp while you preheat the oven. Bake as directed. 

To Make Vegetarian: simply omit the chicken.

horizontal photo of Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pull Apart Bread